Do house plants really improve indoor air quality?
You’ve probably heard people say that keeping plants in your home or office helps to make the air cleaner, but science says otherwise. There are two primary myths about keeping plants in indoor spaces: one is that you get more oxygen with a houseplant around, and the other is that the plant helps clean the air. Turns out, neither one is true.
Does air conditioning affect houseplants?
Your air conditioning system can easily affect some of these conditions. For example, drastic temperature changes in the room can affect certain varieties of indoor plant. Similarly, as the temperature of a room increases, the relative humidity in the air will fall, which could quickly upset some potted plants.
What plants are best for improving indoor air quality?
Top 10 Indoor Plants for Better Air Quality – Beginner Friendly!
- Areca Palm. The Areca Palm ( Chrysalidocarpus lutescens) is a beautiful, elegant indoor plant. ...
- Peace Lily. The Peace Lily ( Spathiphyllum wallisii) is a lovely plant featuring leaf-like white flowers. ...
- Rubber Plant. ...
- Bamboo Palm. ...
- Snake Plant. ...
- English Ivy. ...
- Boston Fern. ...
What are some houseplants that clean the air?
The 10 Best Air Detoxifying Houseplants
- Peace Lily. Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum ‘Mauna Loa’) – A beautiful flowering plant with unique blooms. ...
- Florist’s Chrysanthemum. Florist’s Chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum morifolium) – Also known as Florist’s Daisy and Hardy Garden Mum, is a beautiful perennial of the family Asteraceae.
- Red-Edged Dracaena. ...
- Snake Plant / Mother-in-Law’s Tongue. ...
Do houseplants improve air quality?
This NASA study showed that plants did clean the air in a closed, limited environment or chamber. Other studies have confirmed2 that plants can remove harmful gases, such as formaldehyde, called volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, which have a long history of health impacts.
How many plants do you need in your house to improve air quality?
Although it is difficult to say exactly how many plants are needed to purify indoor air, Wolverton recommends at least two good sized plants for every 100 square feet (approximately 9.3 square meters) of indoor space. The bigger the plant and leafier the plant, the better.
How many houseplants does it take to clean the air?
Plants still do something. According to the scientists' calculations, you'll need between 100 to 1,000 plants for every 10 square feet to start making a measurable difference in fighting indoor air pollution. So, if you live in a home that's roughly 1,000 square feet, you'll need anywhere from 10,000 to 100,000 plants.
How do houseplants clean the air?
Through photosynthesis, they convert the carbon dioxide we exhale into fresh oxygen, and they can also remove toxins from the air we breathe. One famous NASA experiment, published in 1989, found that indoor plants can scrub the air of cancer-causing volatile organic compounds like formaldehyde and benzene.
Are plants better than air purifiers?
The driving idea was perhaps plants absorb more than just carbon dioxide—that they could absorb other air polluting gases as well, like volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Technically this is true. But the rate at which houseplants remove VOCs from the air isn't enough to earn them the title of air purifying devices.
Which indoor plant purifies the air the most?
Chrysanthemums (Chrysanthemum morifolium) Florist's chrysanthemums or “mums” are ranked the highest for air purification. They're shown to eliminate common toxins as well as ammonia.
How many plants does NASA recommend?
NASA also recommended to have at least one plant per 100 square feet (10 square meters), and although this research is quite old, it is still regarded by many as the most comprehensive and accurate to date.
Do houseplants improve oxygen?
Adding plants to interior spaces can increase oxygen levels.At night, photosynthesis ceases, and plants typically respire like humans, absorbing oxygen and releasing carbon dioxide.
Do houseplants reduce dust?
Indoor plants are used in offices and homes to help reduce dust levels. Plants have been found to reduce levels of dust through a means that is unknown to scientists. In fact, according to a NASA study, it has been proven that houseplants can decrease dust levels by up to 20 percent.
How many houseplants is too many?
How Many Plants are Too Many?Number of plantsWeekly Time RequiredPotential space required per sq foot1 Plants4 minutes12 Plants8 minutes24 Plants40 minutes620 Plants3 hours321 more row
What is the best houseplant for oxygen?
Here are the top 9 Plants Indoor Plants for Oxygen:Aloe Vera Plant. ... Pothos Plant. ... Spider Plant. ... Areca Palm. ... Snake Plant. ... Tulsi. ... Bamboo Plant. ... Gerbera Daisy. The colourful flowering plant not only makes the house look beautiful but is an excellent indoor plant for oxygen.More items...•
How can I improve the air quality in my home naturally?
7 ways to improve indoor air quality and reduce air pollution in...Change your AC filter. ... Don't forget about other air filters. ... Check your air ducts. ... Use cooking vents. ... Keep your rugs and carpets clean. ... Control humidity in your home. ... Buy indoor plants to freshen the air.
How many indoor plants should you have?
How Many Houseplants Should I Have? NASA recommends one plant every 100 square feet - which is about 9.2 square metres. In a home of about 1800 square feet in size (roughly 167 square metres), NASA recommends 15-18 houseplants.
How much do plants improve air quality?
Scientists studying the effectiveness of indoor plants for the passive removal of ozone, found houseplants make "at best, modest contributions of about 0.9–9% to indoor ozone removal effectiveness," they reported in 2017 in the journal Building and Environment (opens in new tab).
How many plants does NASA recommend?
NASA also recommended to have at least one plant per 100 square feet (10 square meters), and although this research is quite old, it is still regarded by many as the most comprehensive and accurate to date.
How many houseplants is too many?
How Many Plants are Too Many?Number of plantsWeekly Time RequiredPotential space required per sq foot1 Plants4 minutes12 Plants8 minutes24 Plants40 minutes620 Plants3 hours321 more row
What is the best houseplant to clean the air?
Often called English Ivy or European Ivy, Hedera helix is another popular houseplant that helps filter airborne toxins inside your home. According to NASA’s Clean Air Study, English Ivy is effective at cleansing benzene, formaldehyde, xylene and toluene from the air. Additionally, other studies have indicated that English Ivy also helps reduce mold in your home.
What happens if your houseplant's humidity is below 50%?
The hard part about this houseplant, is that it prefers high-humidity environments. If relative humidity falls below 50%, your plant may start to die. Having a humidifier in your home is the easiest way to avoid this. You also want to make sure the soil stays moist at all times.
What is the name of the plant that purifies the air?
Ficus benjamina (Weeping Fig) Most commonly known as a Weeping Fig or Ficus tree, Ficus benjamina is popular houseplant that is also very effective at purifying the air in your home. According to NASA’s Clean Air Study, Ficus benjamina was effective at cleansing airborne formaldehyde, xylene and toluene.
Why is Epipremnum aureum so popular?
The most important benefit of Epipremnum aureum is that it is quite efficient at cleansing the air of pollutants, such as benzene, trichloroethylene, xylene and formaldehyde.
What is the best way to keep Epipremnum aureum?
It is best to keep Epipremnum aureum near a window, without direct sunlight shining down on it. The soil should be peaty with lots of moisture.
What is the name of the perennial flower that people like to have in their home?
Chrysanthemum morifolium (Florist’s Chrysanthemum) Sometimes called Florist’s daisy or Hardy Garden Mum, this houseplant is another popular perennial plant that people like to have in their home. Unlike the Peace Lily, this houseplant loves direct sunlight and a medium amount of water.
What are the chemicals in blooms?
These include formaldehyde, xylene, ammonia, benzene, toluene, and trichloroethylene. Words of caution on this houseplant. While they are beautiful to have around, they are also poisonous to animals.
Why are houseplants good?
Houseplants look good, create ambiance and give you something to care for, which experts say boosts your mental outlook.
How many plants does Hilton Carter have?
Hilton Carter, plant stylist and author of “ Wild at Home: How to Style and Care for Beautiful Plants ,” told The Atlantic he keeps nearly 200 plants in his 950-square-foot Baltimore apartment. “You can feel the difference in a space that’s filled with plants as opposed to a space that isn’t,” he said. “Right now, my home feels a bit more humid than it would without those plants in there.”
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Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
Do plants remove pollutants?
Plants, some more effectively than others, remove airborne pollutants that can cause a variety of health problems such as itchy throats and even more serious illnesses such as cancer. “There’s things like xylene, benzine, formaldehyde, and these are all airborne small particles that are surrounding us because of things like -- common things -- like vehicle exhaust and cigarette smoke and household cleaners and rubber or leather products, and so we don’t actively see these things. But the plants -- they do take care of it by harnessing those toxins and releasing out pure oxygen, ” Lee said.
Do plants improve air quality?
Do plants actually improve the air quality in your home? “The fact of the matter is that all plants help with air filtering because of the normal photosynthesis process where they take in sunlight and carbon dioxide and they let out oxygen," Ryan Lee, founder of Rooted NYC, said.
Do houseplants really improve the air quality in your home?
Houseplants look good, create ambiance and give you something to care for, which experts say boosts your mental outlook.
How long does it take for indoor air to be replaced by outside air?
In the average American home or workplace, indoor air is actually replaced by air from outside in about an hour. That’s much faster than a plant can remove pollutants from a room. To see how many plants you’d need to clean the indoor air, the review’s authors took the past observations and extended them to larger rooms and a larger number of plants.
What is a VOC in plants?
Past experiments involved potted plants being placed in small, sealed chambers. The scientists in these past studies then injected some volatile organic compound (VOC), a common class of indoor air pollutant, into the air and measured how much its concentration decreased over time.
Can you open a window to clear air?
Until then, if you want to better clear the air in your home, maybe just open a window.
Do potted plants purify the air?
You might be wondering: if it’s wrong, why is the common notion that house plants can purify the air in your home so popular? While the review article’s conclusion is clear — the title literally starts with, “Potted plants do not improve indoor air quality” – the studies it examined don’t have the same clarity. The answer boils down to differences in environment between the experiments and an actual office or home.
What plants can improve air quality?
A much-quoted NASA study from 1989 found that certain types of houseplants, including snake plant, peace lily and ficus, can improve air quality in a small closed chamber. Other studies have found that plants can remove harmful gases such as formaldehyde from indoor air based on the plant species and light levels.
How many prayer plants can cover one smartphone charge?
Thus, according to these calculations, it would take 30 prayer plants to cover the emissions from one smartphone charge. Because these conclusions about whether plants can clean indoor air were obtained in controlled environments, it’s too soon to tell how plants could be used to improve indoor air quality for certain.
Can a snake plant make the air clean?
That being said, while your snake plant or ficus may not be able to make the indoor air perfectly clean, it will provide some benefits.
Can plants help with mood?
So, go ahead and dress up every room of the house with houseplants! Future research may show that plants can not only improve moods but also clean indoor air. In the meantime, every little bit of plant power helps!
How do plants help the air?
Greater Oxygenation. Plants help improve air quality in a number of ways. One of the big ones is through photosynthesis, which removes carbon dioxide from the air and converts it to oxygen. “Plants breathe like us,” begins Rebecca Lazarou, a medicinal plant research scientist at the Kew Royal Botanic Gardens in England.
Why are house plants good for you?
The benefits of house plants are innumerable, especially when it comes to indoor air quality. In a world that can feel out of control, building a relationship with beautiful, calming, and purifying organisms like these can give us back a sense of control over our environment.
Why do tulsi plants smell?
The fact that tulsi smells incredible is among the many reasons why we love tulsi. It’s also one of the top oxygen-producing indoor plants. Water your tulsi plant regularly, but be sure not to overwater it. It likes sunlight and needs good drainage.
What plants absorb carbon dioxide?
Pothos thrives in indirect sunlight and stays healthy with sporadic watering. 4. Snake Plant. This sexy plant cleanses the air of nasties like formaldehyde, xylene, nitrogen oxide, benzene, and trichloroethylene. It also absorbs carbon dioxide.
What is the best plant to purify a room?
Similar to the English ivy, the Barberton daisy cleanses the air of numerous chemicals found in things like paint and other substances. It likes moist but well-draining soil and natural light.
What is the best plant to kill benzene?
1. English Ivy. The English ivy has a flair for the dramatic, with its cascades of coiling vines and recognizable leaves. It also has a knack for clearing the air of harmful substances including benzene, formaldehyde, xylene, and toluene.
Can lady palms survive in low light?
This beaut is a pro at clearing the air of all sorts of toxic compounds, including ammonia. The lady palm loves low light and can survive in a wide range of temperatures. It requires a hefty dose of water and is great if you want to up-level your plant parenting game. 6.
What about oxygen production by plants?
It is of course true that plants make oxygen from CO 2 and sunlight. However, this does not mean that houseplants increase indoor oxygen levels and lower CO 2 levels.
What is an air quality monitor?
To make sure you are always aware of the levels of humidity, VOCs, and other harmful substances in your house, an air quality monitor is an excellent tool. An air quality monitor can measure airborne chemicals, temperature , and humidity, depending on the device.
Why is humidity important?
Indoor relative humidity is an important factor for comfort and health. When your humidity levels are too high, mold and bacteria growth increases and you have an environment where dust mites thrive. Additionally, high humidity levels can increase allergies.
Is there ventilation in a living room?
In your living room there is an abundance of ventilation. Either natural ventilation through leaks and cracks (this is normal and on purpose), or through ventilators and vents. Often you have both.
Do house plants affect air quality?
While several studies have found positive effects of houseplants on indoor air quality and showed that some plants are better than others, this should be taken with a grain of salt.
